The space industry's RandD intensity

The research and technology (RandD) intensity of higher-technology industries remains strong in developed economies, and the space sector is a good example. R&ampD intensity is a key indicator for the assessment of innovative activity at the firm and industry level. Although many OECD economies have seen in the past decade the number of enterprises and total employment falling in manufacturing, higher technology sub-sectors have fared relatively well so far. High technology-intensive sectors, like the space sector, tend to benefit from a stock of long-term past R&ampD investments, not easily and rapidly delocalised. The challenge for these sectors is to constantly prepare the future with new R&ampD investments.